Tent-cottage.



PATBNTED APR. 19, 1904.

A. M. HOLMES. TENT COTTAGE.

APPLICATION nun JAN. 7. 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

N0 MODEL.

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'No. 758 033. PATENTED APR. 19, 1904. A. M. HOLMES. TENT COTTAGE.

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. A. M- HOLMES. TENT COTTAGE.

APPLIOATIOR PILED JAN. 7 1903.

PATBNTED APR. 19, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

7 PATENTED APR. 19, 1904.

A. M. HOLMES. TENT COTTAGE.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. '1, 1903.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

N0 MODEL.

UNITED STATES Patented April 19, 1904. k

PATENT OFFICE.

TENT-COTTAGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 758,033, dated April 19, 1904.

Application filed January 7, 1903.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDERSON MANSFIELD HOLMES, a citizen of the United States of America, residing in the city and county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Tent- Cottages; and I do declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and tig urcs of reference marked thereon, which form a part'of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in tent-cottages, my object being to provide a structure of this class which when set up ready for use shall combine all the features adapted to subserve the health and comfort of the occupant. This structure is designed for all, both those who are seeking ,health and those who wish to retainit. In providing the construction set forth in this specification I have been largely guided by an important factnamely, that an abundance of pure air is the great desideratum. Hence my improved tentcottage is constructed with special reference to perfect ventilation, without subjecting the inmate to drafts of air. The proper admission of light and the necessity for providing shade have also been kept in mind. My improvement also combines in ahighdegree the features of lightness of material, economy of construction, utility, durability, and portability with simplicity of mechanism for regulating heat, light, and ventilation.

Another important feature has reference to ease and convenience of transportation, since the device is so constructed that it may be easily taken apart and reduced to small compass and then easily and quickly set up when the desired location is reached and .a proper site chosen.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved tent-cottage.

Serial No. 138,171. (No moiieli) Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section taken through the same. Fig. 3 is an underneath view of the sectional hinged floor. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary horizontal section taken through the framework of the structure. Fig. 5 is a detail view of the front end of the framework. Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken on the line 6 6, Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is an enlarged fragmentary detail view in perspective showing one'corner of the framework with the end and side detached from the post, Which is shown equipped with connecting-bolts. Fig. 8 is an end view of the top ofthe gable, illustrating the manner of connecting the upper ridge-pole or that over which the fly passes. Fig; 9 is a side view of the same shown partly in section. Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the hinged floor, which is folded to form a receptacle to contain parts of the structure when detached for purposes of transportation or convenience of storage. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary elevation of the door used in. my'iinproved tentcottage. Fig. 12 is a vertical longitudinal section of the same. Fig. 13 is a section taken on the line 13 13, Fig. 52, viewed in the direction of the arrow.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all the views,

Let the .numeral 5 designate the sectional folding floor of the structure, which floor is composed of side pieces 5, preferably two inches thick by four inches wide, set edgewise and connected by cross-pieces 5 of the same dimensions. These cross-pieces are divided centrally and connected by strap-hinges 6,

' whereby the floor may be folded, as shown in Fig. 10, forming a receptacle for parts of the structure when detached. If five cross-pieces are used, as shown in Fig. 3, the foldedfloor will form four closed compartments, each" eight inches deep by three feet wide and lfive feet long, assuming that the structure is ten feet wide by twelve feet long, which is a convenient size for the tent-cottage, the height. of the eaves being five feet and the roof being placed at an angle of forty iive degrees, though it is evident that the structure may be made of any other preferred dimensions.

There is a vertical post 7 at each corner of the side and end of the structure.

the floor. This post is provided with bolts 8, two being located near the top and two intermediate the top and bottom for connecting The inner corner of the post is cut away, as shown at 7, and the bolts are inserted from the inside. Each side of the structure is provided with two vertical pieces 9, located near the corners and adapted to engage recesses 5 in the pieces 5 of the floor. To the outside of these vertical pieces 9 is bolted the lower wainscoting part 10 and two pieces 12 and 13, preferably two inches thick by four inches wide and extending the entire length of the structure,

which, it may be assumed, is twelve feet long.

The bolts employed in making this construction are designated 14 on the drawings. The extremities ofthe parts 12 and 13 project beyond the vertical piece 9 and overlap the post 7 on one side, the post being fashioned to receive their ends and the latter being provided with openings 12 and 13, respectively, to receive the bolts 8, which are secured by nuts 8. (See Fig. 4.) To the vertical pieces 9 and on opposite sides from the pieces 13 and 17 are attached two other similar pieces 14 and 15. The piece 14 rests on top of the floor and forms a base-board as a sanitary precaution, permitting thorough cleansing of the floor without soiling the inside canvas wall. The piece 15 is attached by means of the upper bolt 14. The pieces 14 and 15 do,not extend beyond the piece 9 at the corners, and they are not attached to the post. The wainscoting 10 is preferably composed of matched pieces attached to the inside of the top and bottom parallel longitudinal pieces 16 and 17, connected by vertical end pieces 18.

The ends of the tent-cottage are provided with vertical pieces 19, to which is secured the lower wainscoting part composed of the matched material 21, attached to upper and lower horizontal pieces 22 and 23 on the inside and vertical pieces 24. This wainscoting part is secured to the piece 19,by a bolt 25. Above the piece 22 of the wainscoting and separated therefrom by a narrow space 26 is a longitudinal piece 27, which is bolted to the piece 19, as shown at 28, and whose outer extremity projects beyond the piece 19 and is provided with an opening 29, through which one of the bolts 8 of the post 7 passes. The piece 12' is located at the same height above the floor as the piece 27, and a space 30 is left between the wainscoting part 16 and the side piece 12 to permit the entrance of air, as hereinafter more fully explained. Above the piece 27 and at the same distance above the floor as the side piece 13 is located a horizontal piece 31, which is bolted to the piece 19, as shown at 32. This piece 31 projects beyond the part 19 and is provided with an opening 33, through which one of the bolts 8 passes when the parts are assembled, as will be readily understood by reference to Fig. 7.

To the inside of the part 19, opposite the pieces 23 and 31, are attached pieces 34 and 35. The piece 34 rests on top of the floor and forms the base-board, corresponding to the piece 14 of the side member. The ends of the structure are also provided with gablerafters 36, which are bolted to the upper extremities of the pieces 19, as shown at 37. The upper extremities of the rafters 36 abut against a ridge-pole 38 and are connected immediately below the ridge-pole by a short piece 39, to which the rafters are attached by bolts 40 and 40, one of which forms a pivot for the piece 39 when the other bolt is re moved preparatory to taking the structure apart for storage or transportation.

The rafters 36 of the rear end of the structure are'connected with the horizontal pieces the pieces 31 and 35 by bolts 43, which form pivots for the pieces 41 when the bolts 42 are removed. The bars 41 extend downwardly below the pieces 31 and 35, and their lower extremities are secured by bolts 42 to vertical pieces 41, which lie in the vertical plane of the piece 31 and pass downwardly through openings formed in the wainscoting therefor. The pieces 41 are rigid with the wainscoting and with the framework of the rear end below the eaves.

Mounted directly above the ridge-pole 38 is a ridge-pole 44, the 'two ridge-polesbeing connected by a bolt 45 at each end. This bolt passes through both ridge-poles and the piece 39. The upper ridge-pole rests on a nut 46, and its distance above the ridge-pole 38 is determined by the location of this nut, which is adjustable on the bolt. A nut 47 is applied to the bolt above the ridge-pole 38 and a nut 48 below the piece 39. The ridge-pole 44 is adapted to support the fly or upper canvas roof 49 of the structure. The extremities of the fly ridge-pole 44 project beyond the extremities of the pole 38, as shown at 44. (See Figsfl and 9.) Each extremity 44 is provided with a bolt 50, whose upper extremity projects above the ridge-pole and through an opening formed in the fly 49 when the latter is in place. A nut 50, screwed on the bolt 50, secures the fly in place. A socket is formed to receive the nut. (See Fig. 9.)

The lower edges of the fly on bothsides of the structure are attached to bars 51, each of which is provided with two arms 52.. whose extremities remote from the bar are connected with the upper sidebars 13 by hinges 53. The fly is kept at any desired tension by means of wires 54, which are connected with the bars 51 and extend downwardly, their lower extremities being attached to .the wainscoting-sections at the ends of the structure. (See Fig. 1.) The wires 54 may be connected with screw-eyes 55, attached to the respective assess parts. Their lower extremities may be drawn through the screw-eyes to give the fly canvas any desired tension.

The roof 56, the outer side walls 57, and the outer end walls 58 are composed of canvas, duck, or any suitable tent fabric suitably formed to cover the top of the frame and ex- -tend downwardly on the ends and sides to the side and end pieces 12 and 57 immediately above the spaces 26 and 30 at the upper edge of the wainscoting-sections, being secured in place by passing screw-eyes 59 through gromets or eyelets applied to the said fabric, the said screw-eyes engaging the wood of the frame. This outer canvas wall or covering is divided at the corners, so that the sides and ends may, if desired, be raised to form awnings.

Assuming that the tent-cottage fronts east, which is preferred, I have shown inthe drawings one of the side flaps 57 raised on the south side of the cottage to form an awning. In this case instead of attaching the flap to the frame of the structure the canvas is attached to a light frame having end bars 58 hinged to the main frame, as shown at 59. In this case the flap may be raised, as shown in Fig. 2, by connecting a cord or wire 60 therewith and passing it through a screw-eye 61, attached to the bar 51 of the hinged frame, which supports the fly. (See Figs. 1 and 2.) The canvas flaps below the eaves may be raised all around the cottage, if desired.

The canvas roof 56 is provided with whatI term roof-windows 62, one ofwhich is shown in Fig. 1, while both are indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. One of these windows is formed on each side of the roof, and each consists of a piece of canvas formed by cutting the canvas on three sides of the window part, the upper side or end being left intact. The edges of this canvas window may be reinforced to cause it to fully protect the opening formed in the roof. The lower end or side is provided with a rod 63, to which is attached one end of a cord 64, which passes through an opening 65, formed in the roof. This cord 64 may be passed through the upper part of the tent, as shown in Fig. 2, out through another opening 65, and thence over the roof on the outside, its opposite extremity being connected with the rod 63 at the original point of attachment. should be attached to the center of the rod. The canvas window 62 may then be operated by pulling the cord 64 in the direction indicated by arrow a in Fig. 2 and closed by pulling the same cord in the opposite direction or in the direction indicated by the arrow 0. As just described, the cord 64 is used to control the roof window or curtain 62 on the right-hand side of the roof, referring to Fig. 2. This window is shown closed. The window 62 on the opposite side is shown open some distance on bothsides.

These cord extremities and is controlled by a cord 64, whose extremities are attached to the rod 63, the cord entering the roof on opposite sides the same as the cord 64. In practice these cords may be differently colored. In Fig. 2 of the drawings the cord 64 is indicated by a heavier line than the cord 64*. Both windows are of the same construction and are manipulated in the same manner-that is, the pull of the proper cord in one direction closes the window, While the pull of the same cord in the opposite direction opens the window. The Windowopenings in the roof should be coveredwith wire-screen or mosquito-netting 56. to exclude insects when the windows are open.

The front end of the tent-cottage is provided with a door 66, a suitable opening being left for the purpose. The upper portion of this door preferably consists of a window 66. The door below the window is provided with a recess 66 into which the window may be lowered when it is desired to open the upper part of the door. The window is normally held raised by a locking-cam 66.

A piece of canvas 67 may be attached to the front end of the cottage above the door, its upper edge being secured to a suitable framepiece 67 for the purpose, and when lowered occupies the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1-, covering the door and extending It may be raised to form'an awning by the use of two bars 68, which are hinged to the door-frame, as shown at 69. The canvas piece 67 is provided with a transverse bar 7 0, located a short distance from the free edge of the canvas. The free extremities of the hinged bars 68 engage this bar 70 of the canvas and support the latter in the awning position. When it is desired to lower thecanvas, it is only necessary to drop the bars, which will then occupy positions on opposite sides of the door.

The inner wall of the tent-cottage consists of canvas 71, which is tightly stretched over the frame on the inside from the floor to the eaves on the sides and both ends, the inner canvas wall consisting of a separate piece for each side and the rear end andv of two pieces for the front end, one on each side of the door.

. It will be observed that between the inner and outer walls of the tent a spaceA is left,

through which the air entering at the openings 30 on the sides and the openings 26 at the ends of the structure may pass upwardly and enter the inclosure at the eaves, as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 5 and 6.

On opposite sides of the door the front end of the cottage is provided with vertical framebars 72, to which are attached the rafters 36, the horizontal bars 31 and 27, and the Wainscoting sections. 21. 1 Above the door is a horizontal cross-bar 73, which is pivoted at one end, as shown at-7 4, and secured by a bolt 75 at the otherend.

The upper part of the inner canvas wall of the structure may be let down at either or both sides and at the rear end. This arrangement is shown at the left in Fig. 2 and is similar to the manipulation of the outside wall. (Illustrated in Fig. 2.) inner, wall, however, is dropped instead of lifted. To prevent the lower part of the inner canvas wall from falling, a strip or piece 7 6 is applied to the wall on the inside opposite the upper rail of the wainscoting-sections. (See Fig. 2.) The lowered portion of the inner canvas wall is designated 71* at the right of Fig. 2, and it is manipulated by a cord 7 7 passing through a guide, as a screw-eye 78,attached to the frame in the plane of the eaves on the inside.

Attention is called to the fact that all of the canvas parts are designated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 6. Attention is also called to the fact that either side of the structure may be provided with a window B, as shown in Fig. 1. In this case an opening ismade in the inner canvas wall for the window-frame, which may form the support for the canvas surrounding it, the frame being connected with the wainscoting-section below and one of the frame-bars above.

From the foregoing description it is be'- proved tent-cottage may be readily under stood.

To prepare for shipping or storing the structure, the fly with its ridge-pole l4 and the bolts 45, together with the parts 51 and 52, are first removed in a manner that will be readily understood. The awning part 67 together with its bar 67 ,should also be removed from the front end of the cottage, after which the outer canvas covering, comprising the roof andside and end walls, is taken off. Then the two bolts 8, which attach each corner part to the side, are removed, which separates the sides and ends of the cottage and leaves the corner-posts attached to the ends. Hence by removing eight bolts the structure is separated into the following partsnamely, the floor, which be: ing folded, as shown in Fig. 10, occupies a space five by twelve feet,assuming that the dimensions of the cottage are ten by twelve feet;

' the sides, which are each five by twelvefeet;

the front end, which may be separated into two sections by removing two boltsthat is to say, 40 or 40* and one of the bolts 7 4 and 75-when the parts 89 and 73 will fold, turning on the other bolts as pivots, as heretofore explained, and the rear end. The gable parts of this may be folded by removing the four bolts 42 and 42 and one of the bolts 40 or 40, after which the parts 41 may be folded in opposite directions, turning on the pivoted bolts 43. The part 39 may be folded in the same manner as the corresponding part of the front end, as just explained, and the rafters 36 may be folded on the pivots 37, thus The upper part of the a wall formed of two separated canvas parts leaving an intervening air-space for ventilation, the outer wall part having an opening below allowing the atmosphere to enter the ventilating-space, while the said space communicates above with the interior of the structure,

the superficial area of the air-space between the canvas parts of the wall, being equal or approximately equal to the area of the wall.

2. A tent-cottage whose sides and ends below the caves are composed of a lower wood section, and outside and inside canvas sections above the wood section,the canvas sections being separated to form a space open to the atmosphere between the wood section and the outer canvas section, the said space communicating at the top with the interior of the structure, the superficial area of the airspace between the canvas parts of the wall, being equal or approximately equal to the area of the wall.

3. A tent-cottage whose wall below the eaves is formed double with an intermediate ventilating-space open below to the atmosphere and above to the interior of the structure, the superficial area of the air-space between the canvas parts of the wall, being equal or approximately equal to the area of the wall.

4. A tent-cottage having a lower wood portion or base, the wall above the base being formed double leaving an intervening air-space open immediately above the base to the atmosphere and at the top to the interior of the -structure, a portion of the outer wall being hinged at the caves and adapted to be raised.

5. A tent-cottage composed. of a framework, inner and outer canvas walls separated by an air-space, the lower part of the outer wall being formed of wood, and the upper part being hinged to swing outwardly, the air-space between the walls being open below to the atmosphere and communicating at the top with the interior of the cottage.

6. A tent-cottage composed of a framework, inner and outer walls separated byan airspace, the lower part of the outer wall being formed of rigid material as wood, and the upper part being hinged to swing outwardly.

7. A tent-cottage having a double canvas wall below the eaves, the two wall parts being separated by an air-space open below to the atmosphere and above to the interior of the cottage, the inner wall being arranged to be raised and lowered at will, substantially as described.

8. A tent-cottage composed of a frame and inner and outer walls, the lower part of the outer wall being composed of rigid material as wood and the upper part of the outer wall being hinged to allow it to swing outwardly, the innerpart of the wall being provided with a window which is concealed when the hinged outer wall part is down.

9. A tent-cottage having the floor, sides and ends detachably connected, the framework having a wood base extending a suitable distance above the floor on the outside, an outer canvas covering forming the roof and side and end walls, the said covering being divided at the corners below the eaves, and an inner canvas wall below the eaves, a space being left between the two walls below the eaves, said space communicating with the atmosphere below and with the interior of the cottage above, substantially as described.

10. A tent-cottage provided with a framework for the fly or upper roof, the said framework consisting of an upper ridge-pole detachably connected with the lower ridge-pole and supported directly above the same; and two side frames hinged to the main framework at the eaves.

11. A tent-cottage provided with a framework for the fly or upper roof, the said framework consisting of an upper ridge-pole detachably connected with the lower ridge-pole and supported directly above the same; two side frames hinged to the main framework at the eaves, and a canvas covering for said flyframe, and means connected with the hinged side frames for holding the canvas roof taut.

12. A tent-cottage provided with a framework for the fly or upper roof, the said framework consisting of an upper ridge-pole detachably connected with the lower ridge-pole and supported directly above the same; two side frames hinged to the main framework at the eaves, a canvas covering for said fly-frame, and means connected with the hinged side frames for holding the canvas taut, consisting of cords or wires connected with the hinged side parts at one extremity and at the opposite extremity with the main framework at suitable points below.

In testimony whereof Iaflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

ANDERSON MANSFIELD HOLMES Witnessesr DENA NELSON, A. J. OBRIEN, 

